Late Night Consoling

July 21, 2003 8:00 PM

As my trip to my local GameStop over the weekend was successful, and I managed to complete Final Fantasy I (a feat indeed, considering how damn hard that last dungeon is), I started my journey into Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic last night. So far I'm still getting acclimated to the game, but I do like it, and I really like how all that math that turned me off from Baldur's Gate and all of those PC RPGs is pushed to the background here. It's still there, but demphasized, so if you're like me and easily scared by such things you can pretend it's not there. This is still a more complex game than Final Fantasy of course, but it's not overwhelmingly so. Regarding the all-important issue of which side to align with, thus far I've played both sides, but I'm definitely starting to lean towards the dark side. Not literally, since I haven't earned enough points to make any noticeable changes yet, but in the dialogue trees I've found my general preference to be anything but cordial, and I've robbed a few people blind and even extorted one person out of a few hundred credits. Thus far I like where this game is going, although I've only barely scratched the surface (I've logged just over two hours of gameplay clocked as I write this).

	Shenmue III Still Unconfirmed Rumors hit the web today that Sega AM2 has announced Shenmue III: Special Edition, which would supposedly include the first two along with the new game, and may or may not have been an Xbox exclusive. A wholehearted thanks goes out to Computer and Video Games for debunking this rumor, as it turns out that the source was a fan-written letter on the official (Japanese language) Sega AM2 site.
	More Xenosaga II, Baten Kaitos Details Monolith Software held their big Episode 2003 event in Japan today, and so new information on both Xenosaga Episode II and Baten Kaitos can be found at IGN. Both writeups have nice, clear screenshots, and for Baten Kaitos there's even the trailer that was shown. Sadly, the Xenosaga trailer hasn't been released yet, but it will apparently be included with a bonus DVD that will be released in November, so we will get to see it eventually.
	Mitsuda on Xenosaga Departure Gaming blog Video Fenky has translated a quote from Yasunori Mitsuda's Japanese-language site, where he comments on Xenosaga Episode II, which it was revealed last week he will not be working on. Specifically Mitsuda says, "my way of thinking about the product was different from Namco's" and that "I'll still be watching the game, but it'll just be as another Xeno-fan."
	Resident Evil Outbreak Details While nothing too specific, Games Are Fun has posted some details on Resident Evil: Outbreak and how it fits into the Resident Evil timeline. This online title takes place between the second and third games in the series, and its exact location was in those games, but you couldn't actually go in it.
	Bring the Pain THQ (which is teetering on the edge of becoming the "smackdown" studio), has announced WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, which will be a PS2 exclusive. The first details and media can be found at IGN tonight.
	Medal of Honor: Rising Sun Q&A A new Medal of Honor: Rising Sun Q&A is up at Computer and Video Games tonight, talking with producer Chris Cross (must...resist...urge...to...make...backwards pants joke!) about this latest installment in the series. On a related note, IGN has posted a new trailer from the game.
	Misc. Media/Previews GameSpot has hands-on impressions of Voodoo Vince (Xbox) and Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (GC), along with new media from Freaky Flyers (GC, PS2, Xbox) and new shots from WWE Raw 2: Ruthless Aggression (Xbox). IGN has their own Voodoo Vince preview, new movies from PRince of Persia: The Sands of Time (GC, PS2, Xbox), a new trailer from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GC) and new media from Tales of Symphonia (GC), Chaos Legion (PS2) and Soul Calibur II (All three -- but these are PS2 shots) and a hands-on look at Otogi: Myth of Demons (Xbox). Elsewhere online, Games Are Fun has new shots from Microsoft Japan's Dinosaur Hunting (Xbox) and Computer and Video Games has a new movie showing off Hungry Ghosts (PS2).

Console Game of the Evening: Missile Command 3D for the Sega Master System. "To put it lightly, this game was absolutely amazing. Using the stunning 3D-goggles and the Light Phaser gun, this was one arcade game that stood strong against much of what the NES had to offer. Duck Hunt, eat your heart out!" (submitted by Boughton Supreme).

jason bergman

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